Gas generator for internal combustion engines



May 29, `1923.

N. LEISTEN ET AL GAS GENERATOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Feb. 25) 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l aumnua May 29, 1923.

I N. LEISTEN ET AL GAs GENERATOR FOR INTERNAL coMBUs'rloN ENGINES Filed Feb. 2,0, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 29, 1923.

UNITED :STATES PATENT GFFICE. u

NICOLAS LEISTEN AND CHARLES sENN, or DETROIT, MIACHI'GAN;

.- GAS GENERATOR Fon INrERNAr-ooMBUsTIoN.ENGINES.

Applifmtimi ined February A2o, le20. sei-iai no. sendas.

vparticularly for the engines Aof motor vehicles.

.It isthe'object of the invention to provlde means for heating a liquid fuel preferably by means of thegexhau'stgases' from the engine and substantially at 'the rate that such fuel is required for use, the liquid beino' thus transformed into a gas, and to provlde'means for storing a 'quantity of said gas andI for commmglingtheproper proportion `of air therewith and fdelivering the saine to 4the engine.

'The invention consists in 'the Astructural features and arrangements of parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings; wherein- Figure l is a View in side elevation of an engine provided with a vfuel vaporizer in accordance with the invention;

' Figure 1 Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of tlie i gas and air mixer; i.

In these views thereference character 1 designates an internal combustion engine, havin the intake manifold 2 and exhaust manifld 3 and deriving its fuel supply initially from a tank 4, wherein the fuel in liquid form may be subjected to air pressure in the usual well known manner to effect delivery 'thereof to the vaporizing means presently to be described. A. fuel delivery pipe leading from the tank 4 is indicated ut 5, and 6 is a gas generator mounted upon the exhaust manifold preferably directly opposite the exhaust port 6iL of the last cylinder discharging into said manifold. said generator receiving a fuel supply through the pipe 5. The gas discharging from the generator 6 is carried through a pipe 7 to a gas storage tank 8, whence it is adapted to be delivered by Way of a pipe 9 and a gas and air mixer 1() to the intake manifold 2.

The general arrangement so far described is illustrated in Figure 1.

Describing now the detailed construction of the gas renerator, the exhaust manifold 3 is provided with a. rectangular lateral opening 11, which opening is closed by the casing 12 of theV gas generator, said casing having a portion projecting into said openin, as is clearly seen 1n Figure 2, and being secured in place by cap screws 13. Said casing is integrally formed at its respective ends With intake and outlet fittings 13a and 13?, respectively, and is primarily filled with i line steel shavings 14, but also contains, ad jacent the inlet, a porous'niass of asbestos, as is indicated at 15. Said casing 12 is provided with a closure 16 securedjhereto by the screws 16B. and` upon theuouter surface of said closure there is mounted alrectangular casing 17 containing one or more electrical resistors 18 preferably'coiled. Valves 19 and 2() are provided to control respectively an inow of liquid fuelfan'd the discharge'of gas fronithe casing 12, and are controlled in common by a lever 21.

The gas and air mixer L10 consists of u casing having thereiri a dished partition ,22 having passages 23 therethrough, beneath the cente'rfof 'which partition 1s arranged the iipttirne'd outlet tof rafgas discharge noz- Y `zle 24.1;0 which the pipe 9 is connected.

Flgure 2 is a sectional view of the fuelY heater and vaporizer taken on line 2 ,2 of

The, bottom ofsaidcsing is' provided with a series of air inlets'25 controlled" by a rotative shutter 26. The gas supply from the pipe Sto the noz'zle 24 1s controlled by the valve '127, and said valve and the shutter-'26 are linked together as indicated at 28 for actuation in common by arod 29.

In the operation of the described construction, in case a relatively heavy fuel, such as kerosene is employed, the initial vaporization thereof may be effected by the electric-heater 18 which, if desired, may be shut off after the manifold has been raised to its normal operating temperature. The vaporization of the fuel, however, may be effected either jointly or individually by either the electric heater means or by the exhaust heat, Whether the fuel is of a heavy or light nature. if desired. A very effective transmission of heat to the liquid fuel is accomplished by passing the fuel through the porous asbestos and through the (ine steel shavings, these substances being of :L nature to readily take up the heat generated either electrically or transmitted from the formed will be delivered to the tank 8 and thence to the mixing device 10, the shutter valve 2G and valve 27 being adjusted to pro portionately increase or diminish the supplj.' of gas and air according as it is desired lo accelerate or retard the envine. The tank S advantageous in provicing a' reserve supply of the `as on which to start the eii'gine, the reserve being drawn upon :also to effect a quick acceleration.

The described gas vaporizing and ai mixing device permits the delivery to thel engini` ot :i more liifvhly combustible mixiii'e tliait is obtained ij' merely carhureting air :is has iezcto'orc been the common prac# tice.

By locating the lgas generator directly opposite the last exhaust port of theengine, a maximum heating effect is,secured since the culminated heat. resulting V4from -the dischargeof all the exhaust portsitct upontliegenerator in the specified location.

The [inely divided asbestos whichv is first encountered bythe liquid uel'as it .enters the casing of" the gas generator is particulari), important in starting, to pre-vent the liquid fuel passing throughthe casing too freely beforet-he temperature of the as? iiig haslieen raised to a sufficient4 temperaiire tovaporizo suoli fuel.A

1What wefqclaiin' as our invention is':. l

l. In .a device of the cha rziicterdesclrilnd,I the combination with anjn'tern'al.coinhustionV engine and a liquid uelzgsupply tank therefor, of means,employing-thelexliaiist transformthe head of said engineto n fuel; from -said tank into a. ,gas1 storage meansyfor said gas, a supply coniiction.

to .the ,eng1ne,.a

from said storage means y i Aas and air miner in sind supply connection,

valves for controlling said gas and air and a commonjneans for operating-said valves. 'vildna gas generator for internal combustion engines, the combination with an exhaustmanifold having an opening therein, opposite one of the exhaust ports, of acasing ormn a closure for said opening and having liquid fuel inlet and a gas outlet at its respective ends, and a filling within said csinfrof finely divided heat conducting particles for transmittin the. heat from the exhaust gases to the. Viquid fuel delivered to said casing.

3. ln a gas generator for internal com bastion engines, the combination with an engine exhaust manifold, of a casing :mountv ed upon and forming a. part of said mani fold and provided at its respective ends with a liquid intake and a gas outlet, porous material within said casingintermediate said inlet and outlet for transmitting,Y heat to the liquid fuel and vaporizing the same, a closure for said casing and an electric heater carried by said closure.

4.11; a gas generator for'intern'alvcombastion engines, the combination: with 'uan engine exhaust manifold of a. casing fprinf ing a part ofv said ma liquid intake and a outlet, means with; in v'sind' casing for expediting a transfer o f heat fronrthe casing to its Huid contents; n. 'c lbsurevfor .said'oasing'and an electric heater @fried by 'Sad eisuf. l

5.- In a gas 'generator for internalcoinbustion en es, the combination with an exhau'stni'ani lld an opening ther-e- Min, opposite oneof thel pforts of man- 4secured to said-manifold ford, f @site formngaplllr for said opening andpar` ti'allly. rqijectiiiii; yiiitofsaid'lopeiiing, a de;- tac `ab e'ev'r for said casing, and aixielectrimheatei riio'nted iipon said cover member f In testimony .'vl'i'r'of we affix our sig- 'natures.

NICOLAS I jHAnLES SENN. 

